Poverty and living standards in Kisumu, Kenya: official figures
39.0% of people in Kisumu lived below the overall poverty line in 2022, about 478,000 people; 23rd lowest of Kenya's 47 counties (Kenya: 39.8%, 20.16 million people). The line is the cost of basic food and non-food needs per adult per month.
How many people in Kisumu cannot afford enough food?
31.5% of Kisumu's residents were food poor in 2022, unable to afford the minimum daily food energy requirement, and 3.1% were in hardcore poverty, unable to afford it even if they spent everything on food (Kenya: 31.7% and 7.1%).
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many children in Kisumu live in poverty?
Child poverty is lower: 37.3% of children under 18 in Kisumu lived in poor households in 2022 (Kenya: 42.4%).
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow unequal is Kisumu?
Inequality in spending, measured by the Gini index, was 35.1 in Kisumu in 2022, against 43.3 in 2015/16 (Kenya: 38.4; 0 means everyone spends the same).
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyDo families in Kisumu go hungry?
44.2% of households in Kisumu said they had lacked food or money to buy food in the week before the 2022 Demographic and Health Survey, joint 9th highest of Kenya's 47 counties (Kenya: 28.8%), and 9.0% received a cash transfer or social assistance (Kenya: 16.8%).
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and Ministry of Health (with ICF) · saved copyDo people in Kisumu have clean water and toilets?
71.5% of people in Kisumu had at least basic drinking water (an improved source within a 30-minute round trip) in 2022, 17th highest of Kenya's 47 counties (Kenya: 67.9%); 35.4% had at least a basic toilet not shared with other households (Kenya: 40.9%).
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and Ministry of Health (with ICF) · saved copyWhat do households in Kisumu cook with?
15.0% of people in Kisumu lived in homes that mainly cook with clean fuels such as gas or electricity in 2022, 12th highest of Kenya's 47 counties (Kenya: 23.8%); most others cook with wood or charcoal.
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and Ministry of Health (with ICF) · saved copyHow Kisumu compares with other counties
People below the overall poverty line (2022)
Kisumu ranks 25 of 47, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People below the overall poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Uasin Gishu | 39.9% |
| 23 | Taita-Taveta | 39.3% |
| 24 | Nandi | 39.1% |
| 25 | Kisumu | 39.0% |
| 26 | Nyamira | 38.8% |
| 27 | Machakos | 38.3% |
| 28 | Siaya | 38.3% |
People with at least basic drinking water (2022)
Kisumu ranks 17 of 47, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People with at least basic drinking water |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | Nakuru | 72.6% |
| 15 | Trans Nzoia | 72.2% |
| 16 | Isiolo | 72.1% |
| 17 | Kisumu | 71.5% |
| 18 | Garissa | 70.8% |
| 19 | Bungoma | 70.0% |
| 20 | Laikipia | 69.7% |
More on Kisumu: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · Kenya
Sources
- Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and Ministry of Health (with ICF): Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2022, Volume 1: county tables (C tables), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 202dd70451a0…)
- Kenya National Bureau of Statistics: The Kenya Poverty Report 2022 (2022 Kenya Continuous Household Survey): Tables 3.2 and 4.6, Annex Tables A1, B1, C1 and E.2, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e3298f81209a…)
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